A twelve minute ferry ride is all it takes to break away from the city of Amsterdam and arrive in whole other city (almost)… Amsterdam Noord. Since 2002, Amsterdam Noord has turned into a major hub of artistry and energy. The area has a skate park, restaurants, a venue of sorts for live underground music and a plethora of shipping containers housing student accommodation and artist studios. In one of the largest buildings on site, a flea market, the IJ-Hallen, takes place one weekend a month, hosting about 500 stalls on every occasion.

For a very small entry fee (4 EU for adults), access is granted to the largest trash and treasure market in North Holland. “Stallholders come from across the low lands, and vary greatly in age and personality, from bored students, serious vintage resellers, aspiring entrepreneurs, cunning merchants, and lovely mother hen types that are clearing out sentimental possessions that are gathering attic dust” (The Citizn).

If digging through piles of worn sweaters, shoes, vintage jewelry and old records is your kind of thing, then you won’t want to miss the IJ-Hallen.

The market is open on Sat 7 and Sun 8 April from 9.00am to 4pm and costs only 4 euros. To get there, take the ferry from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Amsterdam Noord NDSM. Click for more Amsterdam Insights, published every Wednesday, and here for previous Coming Up posts.

There have been so many markets in Amsterdam the past few weeks/months, it’s hard to keep track of them all! The Saturday markets, the Noordermarkt and the Nieuwmarkt, and the daily Waterlooplein flea market are easier to keep track of, but there have been so many more. A month or so ago I posted about the Sunday Market in the Westerpark, but I wasn’t able to go. Then last week I mentioned that there was another Sunday Market coming up at the Westerpark, and luckily I was able to go this time! Here are some photographs from the market…

Welcome to Amsterdam Insights, the October edition! You can see a roundup of all my September posts for more ideas of things to do in Amsterdam, but I’m excited to keep exploring the city and sharing events/ideas with you. Previous Amsterdam Insights have mainly featured things in the city, and now I want to share with you something a little ways out, a short bike ride from the city center… the IJburg “strand” or beach, Blijburg! The other weekend I biked with a few friends out to Blijburg (about a 45 minute bike ride from my apartment in Amsterdam West), and we were surprised to find a “Kofferbakmarkt” or car trunk market on Sunday afternoon…

I don’t think you’ll be seeing sights like this in the upcoming months…

But Blijburg stays open in the winter. On Friday through Sunday, the restaurant (featuring a winter menu) will be open from 10am for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Be sure to check out their agenda for upcoming events in the weekends. And for information on how to get there, click here.

I mentioned last Friday that I went to the Waterlooplein flea market with a friend of mine, and then visited Cup a La Cake and sat along the Prinsengracht canal. So I thought I would share a few pictures from the flea market…

As you know, I’ve been trying to visit the different markets around town – the other weekend I explored the Noordermarkt and the Nieuwmarkt on a Saturday afternoon, but these were mainly biological produce markets. The Waterlooplein market is a real flea market, you’ll find stall after stall of vintage clothing, trinkets, books, CDs/DVDs and antique furniture, especially when you on a sunny day like I did.

A little history about Waterlooplein: the square was actually created in 1880 with the Leprozengracht and Houtgracht were filled in, and a market has been held here since 1893 when it was the largest and most important Jewish market in Amsterdam. The market disappeared in 1941 during World War II, but re-established itself after the war, in the 60s and 70s, and has been a flea market ever since.

We then went to Soup en zo, around the corner from the market on the Jodenbreestraat for a quick bite to eat.

It was so hard to choose a soup but I eventually went with the Moroccan Chickpea Soup with Spinach and a dollop of yoghurt, served with a large chunk of brown bread. It was unbelievably delicious…

Then back to the market for a little more browsing and came across some jewelry…

… And old Dutch tins (for coffee, cookies, etc.) that I’m obsessed with, but the ones at the Waterlooplein were a little too expensive for my liking. I missed last weekends‘IJ-Hallen flea marketin the Amsterdam Noord, or “Amsterdam North,” but I’ll definitely go the weekend of October 8-9, maybe I’ll find some cheap tins there. Or the Noordermarkt flea market, held on Monday mornings… I’ll let you know when and where I find them!

The Nieuwmarkt is a destination worth visiting on any day, but Saturdays are especially fun because of the biological farmers market that takes place here. The square is actually in Amsterdam’s Chinatown, right next to the Red Light District…

The Nieuwmarkt has along history in Amsterdam, dating back to the early 17th century when the square was created after the canals were filled in 1614, but it goes back even further than that – De Waag, or the “Weigh House,” the building in the center of the square (featured below) dates back to 1488, when it was built as a gate in the medieval city walls!

Just like the Noordermarkt, you’ll find a biological farmers market here on Saturdays…

Around the square, you’ll find plenty of cafes and restaurants with outdoor terraces (and people enjoying the sunshine)…

And more terraces…

Definitely worth a visit! Click here for more Amsterdam Insights, published every Wednesday.